Method for ascertaining a vehicle fuel cell system operating strategy which is optimized with respect to efficiency and service life

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for ascertaining a vehicle ( 1 ) fuel cell system ( 2 ) operating strategy which is optimized with respect to efficiency and service life. The method has the steps of: (a) providing a load profile of the fuel cell system ( 2 ), (b) dividing the provided load profile into at least two load profile ranges with different load ranges, wherein a proportion of the fuel cell system hydrogen consumption and a proportion of the fuel cell system degradation of the entire load profile is determined for each of the at least two load profile ranges, (c) determining a weighting function for optimizing the efficiency or service life of the fuel cell system in each of the at least two load profile ranges using the proportion of hydrogen consumption and degradation determined for each of the at least two load profile ranges, (d) determining a parameter set for converting the weighting function in each of the at least two load profile ranges, and (e) ascertaining the operating strategy which is optimized with respect to efficiency and service life according to the determined parameter sets.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A method for determining an operating strategy of a fuel cell system ( 2 ) of a vehicle ( 1 ), said operating strategy being optimized with regard to efficiency and service life, wherein the method comprises the steps of:
 providing a load profile of the fuel cell system ( 2 ), 
 dividing the provided load profile into load profile ranges with different power ranges,
 for each load profile range,
 determining, for the load profile range, a proportion of hydrogen consumption and a proportion of degradation of the fuel cell system in relation to a total hydrogen consumption and a total proportion of degradation occurring in the provided load profile, 
 
 
 determining a weighting function for optimizing efficiency or service life of the fuel cell system in each of the load profile ranges based on the proportion of hydrogen consumption and proportion of degradation determined for each of the load profile ranges,
 for each load profile range,
 determining a parameter set for implementing the weighting function in the load profile range, 
 
 
 determining the operating strategy optimized with regard to efficiency and service life according to the parameter sets determined for each of the load profile ranges, and
 operating the fuel cell system of the vehicle based on the operating strategy. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the load profile of the fuel cell system ( 2 ) is recorded during trips with the vehicle ( 1 ). 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the operating strategy is adapted in response to a change in the load profile of the fuel cell system ( 2 ). 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the parameter set has a temperature, a pressure and/or a stoichiometry as an operating parameter of the fuel cell system ( 2 ). 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the load profile is divided into at least a low-load range, a medium-load range, and a high-load range. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the weighting function is selected such that the efficiency and the service life are weighted relative to one another in each of the load profile ranges. 
     
     
       7. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a Pareto-optimal parameter set is determined for each of the load profile ranges. 
     
     
       8. A non-transitory, computer-readable media containing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to control a fuel cell system ( 2 ) by
 providing a load profile of the fuel cell system ( 2 ), 
 dividing the provided load profile into load profile ranges with different power ranges, 
 for each load profile range,
 determining, for the load profile range, a proportion of hydrogen consumption and a proportion of degradation of the fuel cell system in relation to a total hydrogen consumption and a total proportion of degradation occurring in the provided load profile, 
 
 determining a weighting function for optimizing efficiency or service life of the fuel cell system in each of the load profile ranges based on the proportion of hydrogen consumption and proportion of degradation determined for each of the load profile ranges, 
 for each load profile range,
 determining a parameter set for implementing the weighting function in the load profile range, 
 
 determining an operating strategy optimized with regard to efficiency and service life according to the parameter sets determined for each of the load profile ranges, and 
 operating the fuel cell system of a vehicle based on the operating strategy. 
 
     
     
       9. A control device ( 3 ) for a vehicle ( 1 ) with a fuel cell system ( 2 ), wherein the control device ( 3 ) is configured to control the fuel cell system ( 2 ) by
 providing a load profile of the fuel cell system ( 2 ), 
 dividing the provided load profile into load profile ranges with different power ranges, 
 for each load profile range,
 determining, for the load profile range, a proportion of hydrogen consumption and a proportion of degradation of the fuel cell system in relation to a total hydrogen consumption and a total proportion of degradation occurring in the provided load profile, 
 
 determining a weighting function for optimizing efficiency or service life of the fuel cell system in each of the load profile ranges based on the proportion of hydrogen consumption and proportion of degradation determined for each of the load profile ranges, 
 for each load profile range,
 determining a parameter set for implementing the weighting function in the load profile range, 
 
 determining an operating strategy optimized with regard to efficiency and service life according to the parameter sets determined for each of the load profile ranges, and 
 operating the fuel cell system of the vehicle based on the operating strategy. 
 
     
     
       10. A vehicle ( 1 ) having a fuel cell system ( 2 ) and the control device ( 3 ) according to  claim 9 .